Thu, 08 Oct 2009 5:37p.m.
By Charlotte Tonkin
The Government's new restrictions on pseudoephedrine, making it only available from the doctor, has the support of a GP network who will be at the coal face of prescribing the drug.
But the medication won't be subsidised, meaning those who swear by the cold and flu medication will have to pay more than twice the price they do now.
Pharmacist Kim Len will no longer be able to sell pseudoephedrine-based cold and flu medication over the counter, but legitimate users, who will now have to pay for a doctor to prescribe it, say they are being unfairly targeted.
"We're not using it for the wrong reasons, we're not breaking it down for those reasons so they're punishing the wrong people," says Jane Katon. "Those who want to get that stuff will get it anyway."
Stalwarts of the pseudoephedrine-based products say the alternatives just are not as effective.
"I used to use Night and Day when it had pseudoephedrine in it, and it worked," says Kevin Hales. "Then they took it out and put a label on it, and it doesn't work anymore, it's not effective anymore."
Six years ago GP Bev O'Keefe stopped prescribing medication with pseudoephedrine in it. She also campaigned for such medicines to be banned from over the counter sales.
"What I'm saying is the added convenience and comfort that they might get from this product does not stack up against the potential for the danger of having it abused in the way we've seen it abused in New Zealand," says Dr O'Keefe.
But the Pharmacy Guild says pseudoephedrine will still be imported illegally, and it is not the only problem in this country.
"Drug-seeking activity is going to go on, this is not the only drug people have drug-seeking activity around," says Annabel Young.
Packets of pseudoephedrine-free cold and flu medication cost between $20 and $30. On average, so do their pseudoephedrine alternatives, but combined with the cost of a doctor's visit the pseudoephedrine option for easing cold and flu symptoms could cost up to $100.
3 News
